Criminal Justice

A new report finds that Texas courts use very different yardsticks to decide who’s poor enough to get a court-appointed lawyer. That patchwork often leaves people without the legal defense in a criminal trial that the Constitution promises.

If passed in November, the measure would require two officers per every 1,000 residents.

A coalition of Austin City Council members, political operatives and criminal justice advocates wants the policies to be enshrined in the city's charter— and say the effort doesn't run afoul of state law.

Commissioners heard hours of testimony against the proposal, which would cost roughly $79 million, before voting to hold off on the design plan for the jail — or any facility.

County commissioners will take up a contract to build the facility next week.

There are 56,000 people in the United States serving life-without-parole sentences who don’t get the same legal defense or opportunities to appeal as those facing execution.

The law, named for a Black man who died after being tasered by Williamson County deputies, would prohibit law enforcement agencies from entering into contracts with reality television shows.

Lee esta historia en español. The judge presiding over Travis County's domestic violence court was forcibly recused from a case this week over her…

Lee esta historia en español. Austin Mayor Pro Tem Delia Garza will be the next Travis County Attorney after her runoff opponent, Laurie Eiserloh,…

The Travis County attorney does thankless work. That's a bleak descriptor, but it's not wrong.Both Laurie Eiserloh, a career attorney and longtime staffer…